Work with us: Bookkeeper
Bookkeeper (mainly accounts receivable, Xero)
Contract: Four hours per day, term time only in school hours. Permanent contract, one term probation period. Ideal start date: 1 September 2022.
Salary: £25,000 to £30,000 pro rata (pro rated to 0.4 FTE) depending on experience and/or qualifications. Workplace pension, 28 days holiday and paid Christmas shutdown which does not come out of your holiday entitlement.
Perks: Option to join company private medical insurance scheme. Employee Assistance Programme with access to counselling. Discounts and special viewings at Somerset House where there are multiple cafes, restaurants and bars on site. Buddy scheme for new joiners.
Hours: 4 hours per day, 39 weeks per year. (Pro rata is vs 37.5 hours per week full time.)
Qualifications required: We welcome applications from bookkeepers qualified by experience or with appropriate qualifications.
Location: 1 to 2 days per week from our coworking space at Somerset House on the Strand, and 3 to 4 days per week from home.
Why West End in Schools?
Every child’s imagination should be inspired by the arts.
West End in Schools' mission is to use the skills of the professional theatre to provide highly creative cultural experiences for children which they will remember forever. Each year we deliver dance, drama and Shakespeare workshops and perform musicals and pantomimes in well over 1,000 schools all over England, Wales and Scotland. You will gain unique insights into both the theatre industry and education sector as you join our existing team of nine people.
Our work places
Our base is in Somerset House in the heart of the West End. Prior to the pandemic we worked from Somerset House two days per week and from home for three days per week. We intend to return to that arrangement.
We want you to feel and become a full part of our team.
Remote working, and working from the most appropriate place each day, is made possible using a range of software including Xero, Google Drive, our customer management and scheduling systems, chat and telephone apps running on a Mac laptop which we will provide. But many of our customer schools still pay by cheque, so there is paper too!
When working from our homes we are in constant contact with each other. To make remote working fun and productive you need to be a good communicator and confident with using IT.
Your working day
We can agree hours to suit your needs, providing they are regular, and fall between 8.30am and 3.30pm. 10am until 2pm is our suggested approach.
Christmas Shutdown
In recompense for occasional additional hours the office shuts down from shortly before Christmas until after New Year but the team remains on normal pay.
Our values
Efficiency.
Creativity.
Well structured work, creating the maximum benefit in the shortest time.
Fairness - including being the first theatre company to sign up for the London Living Wage.
Continuous improvement.
Our culture
Openness.
Honesty.
We have time for each other and have fun together.
A desire to do things the best possible way.
We acknowledge and share our own mistakes before they cause a problem. We do not blame other team members for theirs.
We work together to find creative solutions to problems when they arise.
About the Role
We are looking for someone who:
Is inquisitive, curious and creative, and has a 'how do we make this work' attitude.
Writes fluent english with attention to detail.
Is numerate, analytical and computer literate.
Has an engaging telephone manner and communicates precise information in a friendly way.
Loves and believes in the value of live performance.
Has a good sense of humour.
Our business is small, and so by its very nature everybody does a little bit of everything!
Your Role
This is a new role, and your tasks will probably develop over time.
We are looking for someone with at least 2 years proven experience with Xero, and the ability to learn in-house software systems. You will be the only salaried finance professional on our team, so colleagues will look to you for advice.
You will develop a basic understanding of the work we deliver in schools, and a detailed understanding of our systems and processes and in due course you will help to structure our finance processes.
We generate sales invoice data from our bookings database which is then imported in to Xero. We use Datamolino to automatically enter bills data, and a CRM to track our communications with schools and their teachers and bursars.
The key aspects of the role initially will be:
Reconciling our bank accounts on a daily basis, based on bank feed data. This may involve entering bills from suppliers.
Exporting an invoice data CSV from our database and importing this to Xero to send out invoices on a daily basis.
Banking cheques at least once per week, and whenever working from Somerset House. Cheques still account for a large proportion of our income.
Chasing overdue invoices in a friendly way that improves our relationships with schools. You will be a fluent English speaker with a friendly approach on the telephone.
Using our automated weekly self billing invoice system to pay the fees of freelancers who deliver our work, and submitting a batch file of these, expenses claims and other payments to the bank for approval by the Director.
Providing advice to colleagues where appropriate.
Working with our external accountant.
A large number of Xero entries come from expenses claims from our freelancers, but the people who manage our freelance colleagues have primary responsibility for entering these claims. They may need help in certain busy weeks, and also advice and monitoring of the process we use to ensure data is entered correctly.
The tasks associated with this new role may develop over time as we learn how best to work with an in-house bookkeeper.
Who would enjoy this work?
If you are well organised, friendly and comfortable as the only finance specialist in our team then you will enjoy this job, do good work and make a difference. We want to be a place where you feel you are doing your best work.
The application process
1. Initial application
To apply please:
Re-read the information on the company and the role and check this feels like a good job for you.
Fill out our online application form, attaching your CV as a PDF.
Please apply by 9pm on Saturday 9 July. Earlier applications would be appreciated.
2. Online Interview
If your application is successful at this stage you will be invited to meet us online between 11 and 15 July.
This will consist of two short zoom interviews and a short written exercise.
3. In Person Interview
After this stage, we will schedule 1-to-1 interviews as appropriate.
Please do not call the main office number, email CV's or apply through recruitment websites. Applications other than as directed above will not be considered.
All applicants will receive a response from us, even if we do not invite you for interview.